The trip up was pretty exciting. It was about as icy a journey as I have ever driven. Even though it was below freezing, it was raining, which I did not think that was physically possible. Ice and sleet covered the roads yet we maintained about 60 the whole way. We left about 9am and got into Quebec City around 7pm. We were stopped at the boarder and there was a great deal of speculation as to why they might have stopped us. I had pulled up too soon and possibly my eagerness or possibly perceived impatience was being punished. Or maybe they just couldn’t believe anyone would want to spend their Christmas in Canada and the story sounded fishy. Whatever the reason, we were pulled aside and examined further but that only took about another 15 minutes and then we were on our way.
We are staying in old Quebec which is enclosed by a very old city wall that goes all the way around. Down by the river it looks like a fortress and like it would have been impossible to have attacked. I took a couple pictures of some of the gates at various stations around the wall.
Our first day we started out going to the Fairmont’s Le Chateau Frontenac. It is truly the centerpiece of the city much as the Back of America tower is to Dallas or the Empire State Building is to New York City. It is about 20 degrees and it feels very cold. By the end of the day I was use to it but this morning it felt like I woke up on a polar ice cap. So we started off with a little coffee and mapped out our plan of attack. We decided to take the Funiculaire, which is a tram that goes down a steep rock face to the rivers edge where there are several shops. We checked out some wood carving and a few art galleries but other than that it was just lunch. It feels like you have been transported to Switzerland but everything is French. We spent our afternoon at a museum that was a little lame. We walked back up and Rebecca and Dad headed back to the flat and I walked around a little.
Christmas Eve about 10pm one of the churches (pictured I think) started ringing the church bells for a whole hour. They would ring for ten minutes at a time and then stop for about a minute and then ring another ten minutes. It was great. It really made it feel like something fantastic was happening. Again Christmas morning at 10am they did the same thing. Christmas day we camped out in our flat but that night we ventured out for dinner at a place Rebecca and Dad had found that was open. It turned out it was in a building that was the oldest house in Quebec dating from the 1630s.
They day after Christmas Rebecca went shopping and I went exploring on my own. I stopped in a pub for a beer. Was a little discouraged with the service. We went on a carriage ride which I thought was a little on the expensive touristy side, but Rebecca really had her heart set on it. It was interesting. It pretty much consisted of the coach, who sounded hammered off her ass, pointing out statues and telling us who or what it was and what or when they did something. And even with theses heavy blankets, just sitting there you are going to get cold, but I think Rebecca liked it and we got a picture so I guess it was worth it.
Thursday I went on a walking tour. Really interesting. We ended the day with a really expensive French meal at La Continental. Rebecca and Dad had the duck flambes. I wish I had ordered that. It was amazing. Also had the Caesar. Rebecca had the lobster bisque and shared generously. We topped it off with chocolate mousse and creme brulee. One of the best meals I have had.
